Paint can attachment



Aug. 21, 1951 D. F. JORGENSEN PAINT CAN ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1948 R 0 T N E v v N DAVID F. JORGENSE'N ATTOR NEY D. F. JORGENSEN PAINT CAN ATTACHMENT Aug. 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1948 INV ENTOR JORGENSEN F D V A D ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to an attachment for containers, and is more particularly concerned with a device which may be attached to a container such as a paint can so as to provide an improved pouring spout, brush support and wiper.

It is an object of the herein described invention to provide a device which may be readily attached to a container such as a paint can, which will provide a pouring spout so that paint may be poured from the can without waste, and yet will not close the can opening or interfere with stirring the paint within the can. It is a further contemplation that the device provides a support for the paint brush, when not in use, and any paint draining from the brush will be guided back into the can. Moreover, the device is so constructed that it may be readily and easily removed for cleaning, when desired.

A further object resides in the provision of a device of this character which is so constructed that it may be attached and will fit into the open end of the container or can in such a way that it may be applied to cans in which the can opening may vary somewhat as to diameter. In other words, the construction is such as to afford flexibility of mounting.

It is also an object to provide a device of this character which is economical of construction, eflicient and eifective in operation, and which may be easily and quickly attached and detached from a can such as a paint can.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully describing the invention without placing limitations on the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. I

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device constructed according to the present invention, the device being applied to the open end of a container such as a paint can;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailed view of a portion of the device as viewed from line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified construction;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-4 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of another modified struction of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the same, taken substantiall on line 8-8 of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, taken substantially on line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the device of my invention as generally indicated at A is illustrated as being applied to the open end of a container such as a can In of conventional construction as utilized for paint or the like. This can is shown as containing the usual inwardly projecting flange II at its access end which defines at its innermost edge an access opening l2.

More specifically, the construction in this embodiment of the invention comprises an arcuate member I3 of metal or other suitable material having adjacently disposed but spaced apart ends I 4 and I5. Opposite the ends l4 and IS, the arcuate member is flared to form in eifect a pouring spout 16.

The arcuate member [3 has its lowermost edge margin outwardly deflected to form a projecting edge flange l1 and a marginal recess or groove I8 adapted to receive the inner edge of the can flange II therein.

The ends I4 and [5 are interconnected by a substantially U-shaped bridging member l9, the ends of which are respectively pivotally connected to the ends I 4 and [5 as by securing members 20-20, which may be rivets or other suitable means. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the looped portion 2| of the bridging member is angularly inclined outwardly and downwardly, and by making the bridging member of resilient material, this member may be utilized to resiliently bias the ends l4 and 15 of the arcuate member in an outward direction separating the ends. Moreover, by grasping the opposite sides of the bridging member, the bridging member in effect forming a handle, the ends l4 and I5 may be forced inwardly toward each other to facilitate applying the device to the open end of a can, as will be hereinafter explained in detail. The ends l4 and 15 of the arcuate member are provided with end extensions 22 and 23 which are adapted to engage under the inner edge of the can flange I I and more effectively retain the ends 14 and IS in attached position. The flange I1 is shown in Fig. 2 as being provided along its edge with spaced edge notches 24 which facilitate forming the flange l1 and further serve as drain points for any paint which might run down the outside of the arcuate member and tend to accumulate in the groove l8.

In the spout portion 16 of the arcuate member, there is supported a T-shaped piece 25 composed of an elongate portion 25 which extends across the spout portion i6 and has a deflected inner edge margin 12'. disposed at an angle and presenting a scraping edge 28. The portion 25 is connected intermediate its ends by a right angled portion 29 connected as by a rivet 3% to the spout portion 16 of the arcuate member.

The piece 25 and bridging member l9 cooperate to form a suppert for a paint brush 3!, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The bristle end of the brush may be laid upon the portion 26 and the handle of the brush cradled in the loop portion 21 of the bridging member 19.

The device A as described above is easily at tached and detached to a container or can. In order to attach the device, it is grasped by the bridging member which serves as a handle. The side portions of the bridging member are pressed together with the fingers so as to move the end extensions 22 and 23 into closer proximity. The flange ll adjacent the spout portion It is then inserted into the can opening 12 so that the edge of the flange l i will move into the groove l8. The device is then adjusted to bring the end extensions 22 and 23 under the edge of the flange l l, whereupon releasing the finger pressure against the sides of the bridging member l9, the spring action of this member acts to move the ends 54 and 15 of the arcuate member away from each other and cause the extensions 22 and 23 to move into gripping relation with the edge of the flange H. The outward biasing effect of the bridging ine1nber thus eifectively retains the device in attached position, but enables ready removal thereof by simply reversing the attaching procedure.

Should it be desired to clean the device, the bridging member i9 serves as a handle by means of which the device may be dipped into a clean ing solution.

Referring to Fig. 4, a modified construction B is disclosed, wherein corresponding parts of the previousl describedconstruction are indicated by similar numerals. In this arrangement, the ends 94 and 55 are in substantially diametric relation instead of being adjacently disposed in close proximity. The ends i4 and i are interconnected by a strap member 32 disposed edgewise and connected at its respective ends as by rivets 33 to the ends M and E5 of the arcuate member l3. he member 32 is bent or otherwise formed to provide angularly disposed portions 34 and which converge to a point 36 to form a substantially V-shaped bridging member between the ends of the arcuate member.

As shown in Fig. 5, the strap member 32 adjacent the pcint 3% is provided on its lowermost edge with a stepped notch 3! arranged to receive an adjacent portion of the can flange H therein and form a seat limiting downward movement of this side of the device into the can opening. A spring member 533 is secured at the point 35 as by a rivet 39 at one end, the other being free and projecting below the strap member for resiliently gripping the inner edge of the flange II, when the device is attached to the can. In attached position oi the device, the upper edge of the angularly disposed portions 34 and 35 respectively present scraping edges which may be utilized for removing excess paint from the brush.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 7, the device C comprises an elongate strip is of resilient material. Angularly projecting end extensions ll and 52 are respectively connected as by rivets 33 to the ends of the strip id. The extensions d! and A12 are angularly inclined in opposite directions from the same side surface of the strip 40 and are provided with an angularly disposed end portion 43', which is so arranged that when the unconnected ends of the extensions and A2 are moved into adjacent position, these end portions will be in substantially parallel relationship, as shown in Fig. 'l, and the strip 40 will be bowed to form a substantial arc with the rivet connections 43 at each end of the strip in substantiall diametric relation.

Each end portion 43 is provided on its lowermost edge with a stepped notch 44 adapted to receive the inner edge of the can flange ll. Also, the outermost end of the lowermost rivet 43 at each end of the strip 40 is provided with a notch 45 in each case to form an abutment adapted to engage against the adjacent edge portion of the can flange ll.

In this form or" construction of the invention, it is an easy matter to attach and detach the device. This is accomplished simply by manually moving the end portions GE -43' of the extensions fil and &2 into adjacently disposed positions or into face engagement with each other so as to bow the strip 40 to form an arc. The lowerinost edge of the strip Ail as thus bowed is inserted into the opening E2 of the can with the marginal edge portion of the strip in engagement with the adjacent inner edge of the flange H. When thus inserted, the lowermost rivet 43 will receive the adjacent fiange l I into the notches 45 and thus limit the amount of insertion of the strip into the can opening. The end portions id-i3 are then pressed toward the associated end of the can to bring the adjacent edge portions of the flange H into the notches 44 thereof. By releasing the end portions 13'43 the action of bowed strip Ail of resilient material will tend to move the end portions 43'-- l3 outwardly away from each other and thus act to retain the device in attached position in the open end of the can. The device is easily detached, simply by pressing the end portions 43 together which will permit withdrawal of the can engaging parts of the device and removal of the device from the can opening.

The bowed strip 40 in mounted position of the device forms in effect a pouring spout and the end extensions H and 42 present scraping edges by means of which surplus paint may be removed from the brush during a painting operation. Moreover, these end extensions and the end portions 63 form in effect a handle by means of which the device may be dipped in a cleaning solution when desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the character described for attachment to the open end of a can, said device comprising: an arcuate flared spout forming member having adjacently spaced ends and an edge margin for engaging a can edge at its open end; an elongate brush wiping member connected to the spout forming member and extending across it opposite the spaced ends; and a resilient member connected between the ends of the spout member for biasing said ends outwardly to hold said edge margin in can engaging position, and having a generally upwardly opening U-shaped portion for receiving the handle of a brush, the bristles of which are laid on the wiping member.

2. A device of the character described for attachment to the open end of a paint can, said device comprising: an open-ended annular pouring spout having a lower margin adapted to be disposed within the open end of said can; means associated with said lower margin for engaging a can edge at its open end; a looped handle member of resilient material for attaching and detaching said spout, said member bridging the opening between the ends of said pouring spout for biasing said means into engagement with said associated can edge and forming in its looped portion a generally upwardly opening U-shaped receiver for the handle of a paint brush.

3. A device of the character described for at tachment to the open end of a paint can, said de vice comprising: an open-ended annular pouring. spout having a marginal edge groove for receiving a can edge therein, when inserted into the open end of the can; a looped handle member of resilient material having its ends connected to the ends of said pouring spout and acting to force them away from each other, said handle member in attached position of the spout having a looped generally upwardly opening U-shaped portion projecting beyond the can edge for receiving and holding against unlimited lateral displacement a handle of a paint brush laid across the open end of the can with its bristles against said spout.

4. A device of the character described for removable attachment to the open end of a paint can, said device comprising: an open-ended annular member adapted to form a pouring spout and having a marginal edge groove for receiving a can edge therein, when inserted into the open end of the can; an elongate looped wire member having its ends connected to the ends of said first member, one of said members being of resilient material to force the ends of the first member apart, and "the second member projecting outwardly from the first member to form a handle having spaced side portions pressable together to contract the first member for application to said can and thereafter forming in its looped portion a U-shaped support for receiving the handle of a paint brush laid across the open end of the can with its bristles against said first member. DAVID F. JORGENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

